Degree Type

Degree Name

Department

Committee Chair

Committee Chair Department

Committee Member 2

Dr. David Lee

Committee Member 2 Department

Educational Leadership and School Counseling

Committee Member 3

Dr. James T. Johnson

Committee Member 4

Dr. Gary Peters

Abstract

The study analyzed student achievement in various school sizes and teachers' perceptions of relationships and interactions with colleagues, students, and parents depending on the size of the school in which teachers work. The purpose was to assist school leaders when they are faced with decisions about school size.

Simple linear regression was used to analyze the relationship of achievement and school size of fourth-grade students. The variables mathematics achievement and size and language arts achievement and size were positively correlated. These findings suggest that as the size of a school increases, achievement increases. After holding the variables socioeconomic status and race constant, the negative correlation was found between mathematics achievement and size, suggesting that as the size of a school decreases, achievement increases.

The means of the levels of teachers' perceptions in large schools and small schools were compared using an independent t test. Two significant differences were found between teachers' perceptions of relationships and interactions with colleagues, students, and parents.